User Guide
Remote Control User Guide for the MX / MBX / TLX1 / TLX2 Series Chapter 2: Supported Commands
Page 8 TTN116413-D04
2.3. Laser Control Commands
These commands are available for the TLX1 / TLX2 series of instruments and those MX series products with a built-in
tunable laser, which include the MX10B, MX40B, MX35E, MX40G, and MX70G. In the following, “Laser” refers to the
built-in tunable laser, unless otherwise specified. Please note that the ITU channels are defined using a 50 MHz grid.
Be advised that there will be a delay between when requested laser state is specified in a “set” command and when the
requested state becomes the active laser state, as the instrument requires a finite period of time to execute commands.
Typical execution times are given in the following table for each relevant command. After setting laser parameter(s), the
LASer:SETpoint? command can be used to determine the laser’s active status.
Command Syntax Description
Set the ITU
Channel Number
LASer:CHANnel: N N is an integer from 1 and 96, inclusive, for the C-Band
laser or from 1 and 93, inclusive, for the L-Band laser. This
command sets the ITU channel of the laser and returns 1
on receipt of command. While tuning to the desired
channel, the laser’s optical output may be temporarily
reduced or turned off and then on.
Get the ITU
Channel Number
LASer:CHANnel? Returns an integer value from 1 and 96, inclusive, for a C-
Band laser or from 1 and 93, inclusive, for an L-Band laser.
This command returns the most recent requested ITU
channel, which may differ from the currently active ITU
channel due to a typical channel set time duration of <10 s.
The LAS:SET? command can be used to verify the last
requested ITU channel is active.
Set Dither On LASer:Dither: 1 Sets the laser dither to “on” and returns 1 on receipt of
command.
Set Dither Off LASer:Dither: 0 Sets the laser dither to “off” and returns 1 on receipt of
command.
Get Dither Status LASer:Dither? Returns 0 if dither is set to “off” and 1 if dither is set to
“on.” This command returns the most recent requested
dither state, which may differ from the currently active
dither state due to a typical dither set time duration of <10
s. The LAS:SET? command can be used to verify the last
requested dither state is active.
Set Fine Tuning
Frequency Offset
LASer:FINE: N N is an integer between -30,000 and 30,000, inclusive. The
entered value is the frequency offset in MHz, and 1 is
returned on receipt of command. Sending this command
causes the laser frequency to be tuned to the sum of the
current ITU channel frequency and this specified fine
tuning frequency offset. The range of fine tuning frequency
offsets spans the full frequency range between ITU
channels.
Get Fine Tuning
Frequency Offset
LASer:FINE?
Returns an integer between -30,000 and 30,000, inclusive,
corresponding to the requested frequency offset in MHz.
This value may differ from the current frequency offset due
to a typical laser tuning time duration of <30 s. There is
currently no accurate way to determine, via remote control,
whether a fine-tuning operation has finished. However,
other laser status information can be obtained using:
LAS:FREQ?
LAS:SET?
LAS:OOP?